Canadian acting icon Gordon Pinsent will be in the Midland area next week for a movie being shot here.  The movie also has some local people making their acting debuts. 

Big News from Grand Rock is a feature comedy film about a small-town newspaper editor who increases circulation by making up stories based on movies he's rented from the local video store.

“And then a girl from the big city comes to find out more about this and finds out what's happening and he gets in trouble,” says producer Michael McNamara.

Director Daniel Perlmutter spent years in the Mildand area writing the script, so when it came time to pick a place to shoot, he says Midland was the natural choice.

“It's the town I was picturing the whole time,” he says, “so I'm very excited we were able to  film here and I have to say Midland has been amazing.”

“They've just embraced us and we've had so much good will from the community. It's been incredible.”

Some property owners let the film makers use their stores free of charge, which helped keep the film under budget. Ennis Esmer is one of the stars of the film and says shooting in the Midland area is easy to get used to.

“It's like a gift to be up here, any time you do travel work it's like you won a job and prizes,” Esmer says.

Midland residents Lori Neuen and Steve Jupp say the movie has created a buzz around town – and the filmmakers are impressed with Midland's generosity.

“Well Steve might say it's an indication of any small town, but I think it's a true indication of Midland,” says Neuen.

And the film has a special meaning for Conrad Stenton – he's one of about a dozen local residents cast in the film. It’s his first, after retiring as an optical engineer who spent decades making motion picture camera lenses.

“I'm usually shooting test footage through the lenses we designed and made here in Midland,” he says.

Big News from Grand Rock should wrap up filming in the Midland area over the next two weeks, but its producers say they'd like to be back in town next fall with a grand opening on the silver screen at the local movie theatre.